Cider-Apple Braise is a delectable side dish with port chops or grilled sausage. NICK KOON, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

"Mon petite chou." Those song-like words of endearment were used by my grandmother to verbalize her love.

"My little cabbage." Yes, cabbage. On the plate or in the bowl, it can be lovable. But loads of my friends only eat it on St. Patrick's Day, which I find downright daft. Just one of its many attributes is that it is cheap.

Yes, that standard green, common cabbage is often bargain-basement priced. It's compact, with only a central core that goes to waste.

And yes, it can be absolutely delicious.

My theory is that cabbage gets a bad rap either because it is incorrectly cooked or served raw smothered in way-too-much mayonnaise.

Cooking Cabbage

Mildly sweet, subtly spicy, and perfectly pliant is the cooked-cabbage goal. Too much cooking can make it mushy, and well, stinky. Those perfectionist testers at Cook's Illustrated (Perfect Vegetables by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine, $29.95) experimented with green cabbage and came up with a technique to ensure both great taste and texture. They call it a "quick braise-sauté."

It's a speedy process that involves a smidgen of fat (maybe a tablespoon or two of butter, bacon fat or vegetable oil — less than a teaspoon per serving) and a small amount of liquid (cream, broth, apple juice, white wine or tomato juice). (See recipe 1 and 2)

Raw and Wonderful

I love the fact that raw cabbage salads can be made in advance. And just like women, they get better with age. But if you are making a salad ahead, the salt-first technique can prevent it from becoming watery. The cells inside raw cabbage are full of water that leaches out after it is tossed with a dressing, diluting the flavor (in the dressing). Tossing shredded cabbage with a little salt and allowing it to rest in a colander for an hour or so keeps optimum flavor once it is dressed.

The salt-first method changes the texture a bit, making the cabbage more pickle-like. The salt is rinsed from the cabbage before the dressing is added, and the shreds are patted dry. I use it if I am making a cabbage salad ahead of time.

For a last-minute coleslaw, I simply toss the unsalted, right-from-the-fridge shredded cabbage with a simple vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, salt and pepper. I augment the mixture with either chopped basil or Italian parsley, plus raisins, roughly chopped peanuts and thin-cut apple wedges or tangerine wedges or shredded carrot. Then I serve it minutes after it is made.

This last-minute approach is handy, because I often shop just once a week and toward the end of the week, I have used up all the lettuce. Because common green cabbage holds up well for at least a week (sometimes two) in the refrigerator, it is often my standby when other, more time-fragile vegetables have been consumed.

Here are 10 delectable dishes to make with this frugal vegetable, including a slow-cooker recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage:

3. High-heat roast with spicy Asian dressing:I love to serve this beautifully-browned cabbage as one component of an Asian menu or as an accompaniment to grilled fish. Adjust the oven rack to upper position, about 2 to 3 inches from heat element; preheat oven to 500 degrees. Quarter 1 medium head cabbage; core and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide strips. Place in flameproof 14-by-2-by-2-inch roasting pan. Toss with 3 tablespoons canola oil (don't worry if not all pieces are coated with oil). Roast 15 minutes. Turn pieces over (note that in center, cabbage is very wet, make sure to turn and move these pieces to the sides). Roast 15 more minutes and sprinkle with salt to taste. In small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon roasted (Asian) sesame oil, 1/4 cup mirin (wine made from glutinous rice), 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 3 to 5 small drops red pepper oil or hot sauce. Place roasting pan over medium heat. Add sesame oil mixture and toss. Use spatula to scrape up any browned bits at bottom of pan. If desired, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds (adapted from "Roasting" by Barbara Kafka, Morrow, $25).

5. Tuscan cabbage soup with beans and farro:Farro (sometimes labeled emmer wheat or spelt at health food stores) is the ancient whole wheat grain that is oh-so-popular in Italy. The taste is an appealing combination of barley and hazelnuts. Here it makes a chewy playmate with long-cooked cabbage, pinto beans and butternut squash. I know I said not to overcook cabbage, but this irresistible soup is an exception. The cabbage almost melts into the broth, giving it a sweet edge (recipe included).

6. Coleslaw with Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing:Salting and draining the onion with the cabbage mellows the onion's mouth-burn. The bacon in the salad becomes soft with time, so this salad is best served the day it is prepared. To make it: In a colander, toss 1 pound shredded cabbage (about 1/2 medium head), 1 large carrot (peeled, grated), 1/2 medium brown onion (thinly sliced) and 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand 1 to 4 hours. Rinse the vegetables under cold running water (or in a large bowl of ice water if serving immediately). Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. Fry 6 ounces bacon (about 6 slices) until crisp; drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, stir 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, 2 teaspoons sugar. Add cabbage mixture and bacon; toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Sandwich crunch: Use up leftover coleslaw in sandwiches along with cold meat or pulled pork.

8. "Lighter" mayonnaise for coleslaw: If using a mayonnaise-based dressing on coleslaw, instead of just mayonnaise, use a combination of "light" mayonnaise and plain nonfat yogurt.

A traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage can be prepared 10 hours in advance by using a slow-cooker. Simply place all the ingredients in the slow-cooker with the exception of the cabbage, adjust the setting to low and allow to slowly cook the day away. The cabbage can be added to the slow-cooker during the last couple of hours of cooking or quickly cook separately in a skillet and add to the pot just before serving. Either way it's a snap. Rival's Crock Pot Guide is the source of this recipe.

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